


Teacher AU

by just_usual_trash



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Student/Teacher, Bisexual Steve Harrington, F/F, F/M, Gay Billy Hargrove, M/M, Protective Steve Harrington, Teacher-Student Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 14:27:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29437497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/just_usual_trash/pseuds/just_usual_trash
Summary: It all started pretty innocently, Billy was by far one of the most difficult students Steve had ever had, not because he was getting bad grades or anything, but just because he was so damn disruptive and his attendance was sporadic at best, but being his teacher, he understood why. Billy’s home life was far from ideal, and while he knew his step-sister Maxine wasn’t anything like him with her attendance and attitude from her records, Steve had heard the rumours and the gossip going around the school about Billy’s father and the way he treated him, so on this particular day when Billy Hargrove was being extremely disruptive, instead of punishing him, Steve decided to hold him back after class to see if he could get his student to open up to him about anything that could be bothering him, the chances were slim, but at least Steve could tell Billy that he would be there if he needed someone to talk to. It was nothing more than him being a good teacher, at least for Steve, at least for now, but it would mean a hell of a lot more to Billy.
Relationships: Billy Hargrove & Steve Harrington, Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington
Comments: 1
Kudos: 18





	Teacher AU

**Author's Note:**

> (So...I’m pretty sure I’m going to add to this eventually, I would keep writing but then it would become a novel with no chapters...So...Yeah.)

It all started pretty innocently, Billy was by far one of the most difficult students Steve had ever had, not because he was getting bad grades or anything, but just because he was so damn disruptive and his attendance was sporadic at best, but being his teacher, he understood why. Billy’s home life was far from ideal, and while he knew his step-sister Maxine wasn’t anything like him with her attendance and attitude from her records, Steve had heard the rumours and the gossip going around the school about Billy’s father and the way he treated him, so on this particular day when Billy Hargrove was being extremely disruptive, instead of punishing him, Steve decided to hold him back after class to see if he could get his student to open up to him about anything that could be bothering him, the chances were slim, but at least Steve could tell Billy that he would be there if he needed someone to talk to. It was nothing more than him being a good teacher, at least for Steve, at least for now, but it would mean a hell of a lot more to Billy.

Billy was no stranger to punishment whether it was detentions from school or more physical forms from Neil, even the emotional blows he made when he called Billy names, so naturally he didn’t flinch when Harrington made him stay behind. It wasn’t anything new. What would be new though was that with only three sentences, Billy would find himself taking a different type of blow to his emotions, one he wouldn’t be used to because it wouldn’t cause him pain. It would leave him open and feeling vulnerable which both were things Billy was not or that at least he told himself he wasn’t. Billy just sank back into the chair and crossed his legs while he waited for all the other students to leave before he then looked over at Steve who pulled a chair up next to the desk Billy was sat at. “So what’s up, Teach? What have I done this time?” He huffed as he folded his arms across his chest.

“What’s going on?” Steve asked, making sure he spoke in his usual teacher voice, not his stern teacher voice, as Billy wasn’t actually in trouble, despite being disruptive. “You usually don’t threaten to cause fights in the middle of class. So something must be up with you.”

Billy blinked. That was the first sentence. That showed that Harrington paid attention to him, yeah he was their teacher so he had to pay attention, but none of the other teachers went about punishing him like this. Other than a blink though, Billy showed no more signs that what he was being told meant anything. “What? You’re the one that fucking told me to stay behind now you’re asking me what’s up? What kinda warning is that?”

Honestly, Steve didn’t expect anything less from Billy than hostility. He wondered if his coworkers saw the same potential in this student as he did or if they just saw a lost cause. “Fine, let me rephrase that. Are you okay? Has anything happened that you want to share or that I can help with? Your behaviour isn’t the best generally but today it was the worst I’ve seen it, so I want to make sure you’re okay.”

That was the second sentence. Of course he fucking cared he had to care, but Billy didn’t think he actually cared about him after all, he was hardly there and when he was he’s the kind of student that throws things across the classroom. This guy was that absolute worst. Who was he to think that he could solve everything with nice words? Billy just scoffed but he unfolded his arms and stared at his hands. Something had happened that night back at home, but he wasn’t just gonna pour his heart out so he just grabbed his bag. “If there’s nothing you wanna say I have to go, you’re keeping me here for no fucking reason and my sister is probably waiting by my car right now.” 

When Billy unfolded his arms Steve knew he had him. He was starting to be less defensive which was something at least. So he wasn’t going to give up letting Billy know he wanted to help. “You know, Billy, if you need anything, let me know. You’re smart and if you just put your mind to it, within a few weeks you’ll have your grades up. If you need some extra time to meet deadlines or a space you can focus, we can sort that out for you.” He didn’t dare mention the rumours he had heard from the other students, not until he knew he had Billy’s trust or that could really mess it up. Steve desperately wanted to help Billy because he knew he could do it with the right support, and while his words had nothing of a romantic nature attached for him, Billy was interpreting them differently.

With that being the third sentence, Billy just stood up and huffed, shaking his head as he completely ignored his teacher. Why the hell was he even trying? Billy had spent so long being told he would amount to nothing that he had taken that attitude with pretty much everything, so when Harrington was trying to be there and help him, Billy didn’t know what to make of it. Especially since he had one of those stupid crushes on his teacher, what a fucking stupid thing to make a teenager go through, as if it wasn’t hard enough surviving school and puberty alone, throw one of those crushes in the mix and everything seemed impossible, especially when you’re a popular teenage boy with a crush on a male teacher who not only looked good, but was also nice as well? Billy was utterly screwed at this point. 

The next few days were difficult. It had become almost impossible to avoid Harrington as he was insistent on checking up on Billy, and while it was annoying as hell, it was also, nice? They also seemed to be difficult for Steve as well. While he told himself he harboured no romantic feelings for his student, he did find himself looking forward to Billy’s company after class when he decided he actually wanted to do some work. Billy’s grades were already starting to show a promising increase. Steve grinned to himself when Billy handed in some work he had just done and just with one glance Steve could tell it was good. “See? I told you it would be possible if you got on with it. Good work, Billy.” 

As much as Billy tried to shrug off the praise, his body had a different idea, much to his dismay he felt his face betray him when he felt the unfamiliar burning high on his cheeks. Fuck this. This whole thing was getting out of control to a point he thought it actually possible that maybe teachers could have crushes on their students. Maybe he was so fucking messed up that he misread any act of kindness as something more, but what else did he have to lose at this point? He’s already made his mind up about his next stupid action. Considering Valentine’s Day was coming up and their school made such a big fuss over things like this, Billy had decided that he would push his luck with Steve and see what he could get away with, so he got him a stupid generic card with a heart on. God was he really that stupid? Yes. Yes he was. And he had been holding that stupid card in his hand for some time now just waiting to hand it over at the right time, but was there ever a right time? Probably not, so Billy bit the inside of his cheek and just extended his arm with no words.

Steve raised his eyebrows as he scanned over Billy’s face, trying to get an idea of what he might be thinking but he was surprised when Billy held something out to him. “What’s this?” He asked as he took it and inspected it for a moment. “Is this for me?”

Billy groaned and he looked away. “Are you really that stupid? If it wasn’t I wouldn’t have fucking given it to you. How the hell did you become a teacher? You’re only like four years older than us anyway.” Steve really was a dumbass. With stupid hair and a stupid face and an even stupider smile. 

The man laughed softly when Billy just let all of his insults out, it had become kind of endearing, in a strange way it seemed that the more he was insulted, the more Billy seemed to relax. Steve looked at the card again and he paused for a moment, usually, they couldn’t accept things from students, but he felt Billy was an exception from that rule. Sometimes students needed the rules adapted to help them. Steve then proceeded to open it, he smiled to himself when he read the message inside. “Mr. Harrington. I guess you’re not that bad. Billy.” Steve hummed then looked up at the teenager still standing in front of him. “Not that bad? Is that you saying thank you?”

Billy glared at him when Harrington read the message out allowed. “You know what? I take that back. You’re the worst.” He reached for the card, the heat that was once on his cheeks was quickly spreading down to his chest.

Steve chuckled and he pulled the card back when Billy reached for it. “Oh no, I’m keeping this. It’s going on my wall so when you next tell me it’s not worth it I can show you, in your own words, that it totally is worth it.” It was way too easy to lose sight of his professional facade when for all of the maturity Billy had, he had equal parts of immaturity, it was almost playful on Billy’s behalf and Steve definitely saw some light in his eyes that hadn’t been there before. “Thank you.” He smiled softly as he tucked the card safely in his jacket pocket. “I appreciate it.” He nodded slightly and it was then he realised that what he had been ignoring for the past week he wouldn’t be able to ignore and that was a dangerous game to be playing. It was probably even worse than just sleeping with a student. At least that affair can be stopped, but Steve had no intentions of things going that way with Billy, it was worse. He wanted to protect him, reassure him. He knew he couldn’t stop that as easily as if they had just been physical. He looked at Billy for a moment before he spoke. “The dance tonight, are you going to it?” It was sudden and completely irrelevant to what they were just talking about.

Just when he was about to complain more his words vanished and his mouth dried out. He licked his lips nervously before he shrugged. “I wasn’t going to, not really my thing, dances. I was just going to drop Max off.” Was he imagining all of this? Where the hell was this going to go? Things felt different now but that wasn’t really a bad thing...It was just, unexpected. “You?” Billy didn’t think before he spoke which just made him curse himself. It wasn’t like you could ask a teacher to a dance, what the hell Billy?

Steve shook his head slowly. “No, they just want me to help set it up.” The man thought for a moment before he tried to asses the situation they had going on here. “Well...Did you wanna do something? Pass some time while they’re all at the dance?” 

Billy’s eyes widened and he blinked a few times. What was that meant to mean? He wasn’t completely against the idea of sleeping with his teacher, because that’s all he assumed he could possibly mean, but he also wasn’t completely comfortable with just agreeing. “Where would we go?” He asked quietly, wanting to know more before he agreed because let’s face it, he wasn’t going to deny the offer.

Steve shrugged slightly. “I don’t really know. Out for a drive? Somewhere to grab a drink not around here...Anywhere but here.” 

A drive? Once again he was thrown into a state of confusion. “Didn’t you wanna, y’know, do more than just a drive?” 

Now Steve’s eyes widened and he shook his head, his cheeks darkening slightly as well. “God. No way.” He said but quickly added to it in case Billy thought he didn’t like him that way. “I mean, it’s not that I’m not interested, I am, I just don’t want to use you like that...Are you disappointed?” He asked carefully. 

Much to Billy’s surprise, Steve’s intentions were actually rather innocent? The first person not to want sex from Billy right away was his teacher? That, was strange, but also not unwelcome. “No...Not really.” He finally let a small smile show on his face. “I’m pretty glad actually.” He let out a sigh of relief when he didn’t have to worry about that option anymore. “Okay, sure.” He agreed pretty easily after that was clarified. 

Steve smiled at Billy and he nodded, thankful that he also didn’t seem to be solely after something sexual. “Okay...Great.” He looked at his watch and nodded again. “Okay, so, I’ll see you later tonight? Around six?” Maybe it would be easier once they were both out of the school setting, he still felt like he was at least trying to hold himself back all the while they were both in class and he didn’t really want to keep holding back, he wanted to know Billy. Actually know him, what makes him happy, or sad, what makes him angry, not just know what he’s capable of doing at school. It want like there was any massive age gap between them or anything, so it should be easier to get to know him when they didn’t have these labels attached to them.

Billy nodded and pulled his bag over his shoulder more, gripping the strap to try and keep his excitement to a minimum. “Okay, cool. See you then.” He turned and headed to the door, all that effort into containing his excitement was pretty useless considering he had a bounce in his step which just made Steve shake his head softly, smiling as he watched Billy leave.

What the hell did they just agree too?

Six o’clock that evening came around so much quicker than they had both thought it would, Billy spent most of that time getting himself ready, he got dressed up but not as much as he would have if they had been going to the actual dance, because this was just them hanging out for a while. Still, Billy wanted to look his best which earned him a smirk from Max as he spent longer getting ready than she did. She didn’t know who he was going out with just that he was clearly going out and hopefully he wouldn’t be as moody as he had been when he came back. 

Steve didn’t have time to get himself ready, not really anyway. By the time they had finished setting up the kids started to arrive and he just found himself being made to dance by one particularly excited group of youngsters, lucky he got away after a few minutes with just enough time for him to go to the bathroom and neaten his hair out then head outside to change into the spare shirt he always kept in his car. He checked himself in his car mirror before he drew in a breath to calm himself down. He still had no idea where the two of them were meant to go, but, they could figure that out. 

It wasn’t too much longer before Steve saw a car pull up behind him and when he saw Maxine get out and go in, that’s when he got out of his car again and made his way over to Billy, unknown to the both of them, Max was definitely hiding out so she could see who her brother would be spending his night with, and when she finally saw who it was, her jaw dropped. At first she didn’t believe it. Maybe it was just completely a coincidence? But the moment she saw Billy wrap his arms around Mr. Harrington’s waist she knew that was no coincidence. From behind her she heard a familiar gasp that was from El.

“Is that Billy and Mr. Harrington?!” The girl exclaimed, only to be pulled down and quickly silenced with a hand over her mouth.

“Yeah, but keep it down. We shouldn’t mess this up for them, we gotta keep it a secret, okay?” She looked at El before moving her hand off her mouth.

El nodded then smiled as she looked back at the two of them. “They look happy.”

Max felt herself smile softly and she nodded. “Yeah, they do...Come on. Let’s go inside.”


End file.
